Preliminary spatial behaviour of warru (Petrogale lateralis MacDonnell Ranges race) in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands, South Australia

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the home range and movement patterns of Petrogale lateralis in the arid-zone Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in the north-west of South Australia. Ten Global Positioning System radio collars were attached to animals, with collars programmed to function in 2008–09. Catastrophic collar failure resulted in only 28 days of data, from July 2008, being retrieved from one adult female. During this time, the female occupied a 90% kernel range of 57.9 ha and core (50%) range of 9.3 ha. The animal moved a total of 50.8 km and undertook three journeys of over 1 km. The longest of these was 1.2 km, undertaken in 89 min. The high mobility of the study animal has implications for management, particularly predator baiting and fire management strategies. Future research should assess the validity of these results by increasing sample size and conducting similar work for other arid-zone P. lateralis. The lessons learnt from the current GPS collar deployment may also be of interest to other researchers.